It's time for lunch! After typing so many words yesterday, I left a few holes in my story. It happens. So now I need to go back in and fix a lot of things.

Is there a place in your story where you're stuck right now? If not, have you ever been stuck before? Share some ways you solved the problem and were able to write through that scene. And if you're stuck right now, brainstorm ten options of things that could happen. I bet you like one of them. But if you're still stuck after that, see if you can get some people on the loop or in the comments to help you brainstorm a way out.

If you're just now finding us, it's not too late to join the email loop.

50 comments:

Sometimes I'll get cornered into a story hole. (i.e. like the President is really evil and trying to kill my main characters. Not real easy to avoid a President of the United States. :/ )I won't know how to get out of the situation, because anything I do seems ridiculously unrealistic. I can usually work past it though dreaming the scene out in my head in bed, talking through it to people, watching similar movies/reading similar books, and yes, even watching the news helps.

Sometimes I get stuck when I don't really know where the scene is going. Usually I will refer to my list of what needs to happen in the book and try to fit something into the scene. If I can't, and nothing important was happening anyway, sometimes I just cut it. Because if I'm stuck writing it, my reader will probably get stuck reading it too.

I often get stuck in the middle of my story (though I'm not really at that point yet with my WIP). I have a beginning, and an ending, but very little to connect the two. What I usually do at that point is just write the parts I know are going to happen, and then fill in the blanks. Sometimes the ending ends up changing a bit in that process, but it works out.

I've only truly gotten stuck once, and that was before I wrote my outline. So I forced myself to write the outline and I'm going strong now! (Kind of... haven't written in that project for a while XD Been busy with others.)

I normally get stuck in just the small things. Sort of like research and stuff. I find it hard to make sure the stuff your writing about is realistic enough. But it can be fixed, it just takes a lot of research from my experience.

When I'm stuck, I have to walk away from my manuscript. Then, I do some daydreaming and imagine the story like it's a movie or something. A lot of times, once I start imagining a scene at the point where I'm stuck, the characters will keep interacting with each other, taking the plot to the next step. Later, sometimes I have to cut out a good bit of dialogue, but it usually helps me get unstuck :)And to answer the giveaway question: I set aside a big chunk of time yesterday to focus on writing. It seems like a small way of working toward a dream, but I know all of those moments will add up one day.

I usually get stuck before I even reach 10K. Maybe more extensive planning could solve that . . . It's like I know what's going to happen, but I can't think of any good ways to get there, if that makes any sense.

I didn't think I was ever stuck in the sense of not knowing what to write... or not being able to write, except when I was younger maybe. I just have had the problem of NOT writing, as in taking the time. You kind of have to push through. If you push through the hard part to write, you'll get to the good stuff pretty soon. :)

When I get stuck, I try to move on and write something I do know and then come back later when I have a better idea of the scene or whatever. I also try freewriting to get my thoughts moving or look for inspiration on my pinterest boards for my WIPs.

I'm not currently stuck, but when I am, it usually just means I've stopped writing and am confused about my plot. I have to go back and reread some (if not all) of my manuscript so I get it back in my head.

I've been stuck plenty of times. When I am, I tend to go to Pinterest and look at the different writers boards that I follow. In the past I've found tips for getting over different problems that way. My most recent one was the main fight scene that was in my book; I had no idea how to even start. I found an article from a writer's blog on fight scenes, and was able to push on. I love Pinterest!

Usually, I get unstuck by talking over my story with my sister. Sometimes just talking out loud helps me come to a conclusion. That or my sister gives me some insight into the potential a scene has that I hadn't even noticed while writing it--if that makes any sense. :)

When I'm stuck it's usually because I'm dealing with a bout of depression (which is unrelated to my writing and something I need to deal with entirely separately, usually by putting the story aside for a while), or because I keep going back and tweaking things. I haven't been STUCK-stuck for a while, but when that happens I usually just daydream in my bed at night. (I think that was kind of an oxymoron). At the moment it's more of a "once more unto the breach!" kind of thing, though.

Ooh, stick parts are tricky. Thankfully I have sisters for that! It's so great to be able to bounce problems off people who love me and can still be honest. Plus, they love writing too! We respect our dreams together.

I've done...eh...mostly nothing! I've been really slack with the writing at the moment. But I'm slooowly starting my next project. Also writing query letters/synopsis and eating chocolate, which I think all counts to the ultimate dream of crazy-author.

It's funny that you should ask if I'm stuck somewhere. I think I'm stuck today :P Well, I can't quite say that, since I haven't even begun writing yet (and I have almost three thousand words to pen today! ugh!). Let's hope I get past it :)

There seems to be the same question for each giveaway. :D What's something different than what I've written for the other ones... Hm... Well, I want to get closer to God, so I've been working on praying and reading the Bible everyday.

I have been stuck many times before. When I am, I will usually talk to my mom about the story until an idea surfaces. Other wise I will try to put myself in the story and decide what I would do next. Though my characters will not react the same, knowing my reaction helps find theirs.

I'm stuck like on every story of mine at the moment, the problem is, I don't really motivate myself like the last question was about. The only time I get motivated is when I get a sudden inspiration. I know where most of my stories are going, I just don't know how to take them there. That's why I'm just focusing on character development right now.

If it's just a temporary block, I can usually just try a few different plot options--still getting from Point A to general Point B, but by an alternate route--and work my way through. But sometimes, if it's a really nasty case, I end up having to take a step back and recharge. I'm definitely mentally bookmarking your tip about brainstorming 10 options, though.

The one thing I've done this past week to further my writing goals is decide to purchase and use the One Year Adventure Novel curriculum for this school year! I'm really excited and hope this'll help me actually get to writing... Not just read and learn about how to write:-)

One thing in the past week? Writing. It's always writing. And sometimes I'd like to think that with every word I write, I'm getting better (the reality is that some of the words are worse than the last, but it's a cumulative thing...the good words build up).

I was stuck at about 30000 words for the longest time! I called up a writing friend and we took her dog on a long walk, brainstorming the whole time. After an hour or so of coming up with a bunch of ideas, we were stuck with a wave of genius. I went home straight away and wrote everything down.